Q: I’ve had almost constant diarrhea since I got out of the hospital. They say I picked up an infection from a bug called C. difficile — difficult isn’t the half of it! Help! — Susan P., Moline, Ill.
A: That’s a dangerous and draining infection. And there’s been a 400 percent increase in the incidence (usually related to stays in hospitals and other health care facilities) since 2000, likely from the existence of ever-stronger strains. But fortunately, docs have figured out an effective away to treat it: bacteriotherapy. We mentioned this last year, when people were still calling it a fecal transplant. But progress has been made, and in more ways than finding a better name for what is a safe and simple procedure. Bacteria (good and bad), which are essential for the balanced health of your gut, are extracted from donor stools (they used to think they needed to come from a spouse or family member) and introduced into the intestine of someone with C. difficile. Theses microbes then fight off the marauding bacteria.
